Bearing construction



' March 18, i958 A. E. RoAcH BEARING CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 15, 1955 ATTORNEY BEARING CONSTRUCTEY Arvid E. Roach, deceased, late of Detroit, Mich., by Aida Elizabeth Roach, administratrix, Detroit, M'ich., assignor to General Motors Corporation, i'etrot, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application December 15, i955, Serial No. 553,376

11 Claims. (Cl. S68-122) by using packings or oil seals. Although such construc tions normally are quite effective in reducing oil leakage, they measurably increase engine friction. Recent tests with single-cylinder engines have shown that a conventional oil seal between the rear main bearing and the ilywheel is responsible for approximately 3% of the engine friction at part load and for up to about 16% at full load.

Of course, the percentage of power loss due to friction in the rear main bearing of a multi-cylinder engine is considerably less. Nevertheless, the friction at this location is substantial, and it is estimated that .it constitutes approximately 5% of the total engine friction at part load and about 3% at full load.

Accordingly, a principal object of this invention is to provide a bearing construction and arrangement of associated parts which will prevent leakage of lubricating oil from a rear main bearing of an internal combustion engine without the use of the usual packing or oil seal. A further object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive apparatus for lubricating an engine shaft and bearing in a manner which substantially reduces power losses due to friction at this bearing location.

-In accordance with the present invention, the above and other objects are attained with a bearing construction andA sealing arrangement in which lubricating oil is fed under pressure to the bearing surface and thereafter evacuated from another portion of the bearing to eliminate the need for conventional seals to prevent leakage of the lubricant. provided in the working surface of a sleeve bearing and connected to an oil pump which delivers the lubricant unsideof the groove which contains the oil under pressure constitute the principal load-carrying portions of the Vbear!- ing, while the remaining land between the evacuating grooveand the ladjacent end of the shaft functions as a The clearance between this Vsealing land and the journal is slightly larger than they sealing Vland for the lubricant'.

Specifically, a circumferential groove is nal.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will I more fully appear from the following detailed description la@ Patented Mar'. i8, 'i

of preferred embodiments thereof, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 isa schematic view, with parts broken away and in section, showing a rear main bearing of an internal combustion engine and the parts associated therewith; and

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a modification of the bearing shownin Figure 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, Figure shows a portion of a gasoline engine having a cylinder block wall or rear end bearing support lt in which a rear main bearing sleeve 12 is suitably fixed. A crankshaft, indicated generally by the reference numeral 14, is rotatably mounted in the bearing sleeve. Secured to the rear end of the crankshaft in conventional manner is a flywheel 16.

ln accordance with theinvention, the rear main bearing sleeve 12..is provided with a pair of annular grooves 1S and 19 which circumscribe its inner working surface. An opening or passage 2t) extends radially from the base of the forward groove 1S through the bearing sleeve and communicates with a duct 22 in the wall 10 of the cylinder block. Inturn, the duct 22 is connected by a suitable pipe line or tube 23 to the'outlet side 24 of an oil pump 26. The intake 25 of this pump is connected by pipe line 27 to an appropriate lsump or reservoir 28 for the lubricating oil 29.

Another pipe line or tube 3i? Vis connected to the line 23 at a point between the bearing l2 and the oil pump 26. The opposite end of pipe line Sti is connected to the intake of afrelief valve mechanism 32, while the outlet of the relief valve is connected by pipe line 34 to the snmp A passage 36,7which extendsradially from the rearward annular groove 19through the bearing sleeve 12, likewise registers witha duct 38 in the cylinder block wall 10. A suitable vpipe llineror tube42 is shown as having one end secured in the passagerSS and its other end connected to the line 27 between the oil pump and the sump. H .A

Under operating conditions of the engine the pump 25 delivers lubricating oil under pressure from the reservoir or sump 28, through pipe lines 27 and 23, duct 22 and passage 20, totherforward ann'nular groove 18 in the bearing sleeve.4V As will be hereinafter more fully explained, the clearance de between the forward land 46 of the bearing and the cooperating journal portion d8 of the crankshaft ispreferably very small and does not readily accommodate passage of any appreciable quantity of lubricating oil from the forward circumferential groove 1S to the adjacent endof the bearing. Nevertheless, since the oil in this groove is under pressure, a sufficient amount of it-is forced'intothe clearance space 44 to satisfactorily lubricate the adjacent surfaces'of the journal and the bearing land 46. It is preferable to supply the lubricating oil in the forward groove at a pressure of approximately 15 to 30 p. s. i.

Since the rearward annular groove i9 in the bearing is connected by opening 36, duct 3S, and pipe lines and 27 to the intake of the pump V26, this groove is main-V tained at sub-atmospheric pressure. This partial vacuum in the groove it? draws or sucks thelu'oricating oil from the forwardY annular groove 1S across the working sur= face of the ecntralpor main land Sil of the bearing and into theY groove i9. In turn, the oil drawn into this evacuating'4 groove ris pumped through the pipe lines 42 and 27 back to the'intake 25 of the pump. The direction of ow of the oil in. lines 27, 23 and 42 is indicated by thearrows in Figure l. v

The sub-atmospheric pressure of the lubricating oil in the annular evacuating groove i9 substantially eliminates rearward ow of oil from this groove through the elearyance space 56 between the journal 48 and the rear end land 58 of the bearing. Consequently, there is little or no oil leakage between the cylinder block wall and the iiywheel; '.As hereinafter described in greaterdetail,` the clearance 56 is relatively 'large as compared with the clearances 445 and 160 between the bearing lands'46g`and in oil line 23 becomes excessive.

AsV hereinbefore indicated, the load-carrying lands 46 and 50 of the bearing extend radially outwardly a somewhat greater distance than the sealing land 58. In the case ,of a shaft having a journal diameter of 2%; inches,

for example, the diametral clearances 44 and 60 between the lands 46 and 50, respectively, andthe journal 4S each is preferably approximately 0.0015 inch. On the other hand, the diametral Vclearance 56 between the sealing land 58 and therjournal 48 is suliiciently greater than the clearances 44 and 60 to insure that there will Vbe no appreciable metallic contact between land 58 andthe journal. Of course, the clearance'56 must be sufficiently Vsmall to prevent any material leakage of air into groove 1,9. Hence it is frequently desirable to form the clearance 56 approximately two or three times as large as the clearances 44 and 60; However, under particular circumstances the clearance 56 may be tive or even ten times greater than clearances 44 and 60. In the case of a journal having a diameter of V/ 16 inches, a sealing land clearance of 0.0045 inch to 0.0080 inch is satis# Y factory. Y Generally, therefore, the size of this clearance `should be three to iiveV times the size of clearances 44 and 60. Y

In orderto compute the Yproper sizes of clearancesV Vadjacent bearing lands 46 and,50 for variousV journal diameters, the formula C=(0.00065i0.0001)D may be employed. In this formula C is the size'in inches of the clearance 44 or 60, while D is lthe diameter of the shaft in inches. While this formula provides the preferred ranges of diametral clearances between the loadcarry ing bearing lands and the journal, these clearancesl may be somewhat larger than provided by the formula in many instances. Hence, acceptable results frequently may be obtained by application of the formula C: (0.00065 i0.0005)D where C and D are the same as in the previous formula.

The clearance sizes provided by the first-mentioned preferred formula are particularly applicable for bearings with babbit, tri-plate or co-plate surfaces. However,'copperlead and silver bearings normally require greater clearances by a factor ofV approximatelyV 10% to 50% and occasionally even more, depending on the engine speed. In the latter instances Yit is frequently advisable to calculate theV clearances adjacent the loadcarrying lands by application of the second formula and to select clearance. size figures near the upper end of the range'obtained-thereby.

In addition, it is sometimes advantageous toV provide the sealing land with a'conical surface, Vas shown .in Figure 2, rather than with a cylindrical surface. In this modificationV of the invention, the bearing sleeve 12 and adjacent parts aregenerally. similar to the construction shown in Figure 1. However, in the Figure 2 modification the Vrearend or sealing land 72 .is tapered radially This valve permits Y the lubricating oil` in pipeline 23 to bef circulated through lines and 34 tothe sump 28 inthe event the pressureV 4 inwardly from the evacuating groove 19 toward the rear end of the bearing 14, thereby providing the inner surface of this land with a generally conical configuration. Of course, the surface of the land 72 may be convex with respect to the longitudinal axis of the lbearing rather than conical. In either event the diameter of the sealing land is reduced toward the rear end of the bearing to provide a bell mouth in which the clearance 76 between the tapered land 72 and the journal varies, for example, from about 0.0015 inch at the forward edge of the land to approximately 0.0045 to 0.0080 inch at the rearward edge. These figures are typical for akshaft or journal having a diameter of approximately 25/16 inches. The formulae listed above also apply to a bearing provided with a tapered sealing land, and the average clearance 76 is preferably two to five times as great as the clearances at the load-carrying lands 46 and 50.

While the above invention has been described by means of certainspecific examples, it will be understood that Vthe scope of the invention is not to be limited thereby except as defined in the following claims.y

What is claimed is: Y 1. In combination, a plain bearing having a p'air5of axially spaced circumferential grooves in its working sur-V face, a rotary shaft carried in said bearing, a reservoir for containing a lubricant, a pump for said lubricant, a pipe line connectingsaid reservoir with one of said grooves and with the intake of said pump,and a second pipe linerconnecting the outletof said pump'with the other ofrsaid grooves, thereby permitting said pump to force said lubricant from said reservoir to said other groove and to draw said lubricant across theworking surface of said bearing to said rst groove and thence to theintake of said pump. Y

2. In combination, a journal bearing having a cir- 'Y cumferentially extending annular groove in its working` surface for receiving lubricating oil, a. pump for said lubricating oil, a radially extending passage in `said bearing connecting said groove with the outlet of said pump for supplying lubricating oil under pressure thereto',a reservoir'for said lubricating oil connected tothe inlet of said pump, a secondrannular groove ,circumscribing the working Vsurface of said bearing, and a conduit con-- necting said second groove with theV inlet of said pump for removing said lubricating oil from said second groove,

said pumpY being adapted to deliver oil underpressure aboveV that of atmospheric pressure to said first groove and to reduce the pressure in said second groove to cause said lubricating oil to flow axiallyy from said first groove. said secondV over a Working surface of said bearing to groove. Y Y

3. In combination, a plain bearing having a pairgof axially spaced circumferential groovesY in .its workingV surface dividing said surface into three generally coaxial Y lands, a rotary shaft carried in said bearing, a reservoir containing a lubricant, a pump for said lubricant, la pipe line connecting said reservoir with one of vsaid grooves and with the intake of said pump,vand a second pipe line connecting the outlet of said pump withrthe other of said grooves, thereby permitting said pump to.`

force said lubricant from said reservoir to said second groove and to draw said lubricant across the working Vsur!` face of said bearing to said first groove and thence to j the'intake of'said pump, the average clearance betweenY said shaft and the land intermediate said second grooveA and the adjacent end of saidrbearing being largerth'an the averageV clearance between said shaft and the other of said lands. Y

4. The combination set forth in claim?, in which the i land intermediate the second groove and the adjacent end of the bearing tapers radially inwardly from said groove toward said end.

a journal portion rotatably mounted in said bearing sleeve, a ywheel secured to one end of said crankshaft and rotatable therewith, said bearing sleeve having a pair of axially spaced circumferential grooves in its working surface dividing said surface into three coaxial annular bearing lands, the land nearest said flywheel constituting a sealing land for said lubricating oil and the other two lands constituting load-carrying lands for said bearing, a reservoir for containing lubricating oil, and a pump connected to said grooves and said reservoir for forcing said lubricating oil under pressure above atmospheric pressure to one of said grooves and for removing oil at a pressure below atmospheric pressure from the other of said grooves, the average clearance between said journal portion and said sealing land being larger than the average clearance between said journal portion and said load-carrying lands.

6. The combination set forth in claim 5 in which the average clearance in inches between the journal portion of the crankshaft and load-carrying lands of the bearing equals (00006510.0005) times the average diameter of said journal portion in inches.

7. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder block, Ia rear main bearing sleeve secured within a wall of said cylinder block, a crankshaft having a journal portion rotatably mounted in said bearing sleeve, a flywheel secured to one end of Said crankshaft and rotatable therewith, said bearing sleeve having a pair of axially spaced circumferential grooves in its working surface dividing said surface into three coaxial annular bearing lands, a reservoir for containing lubricating oil, a pump for said lubricating oil, a pipe line connecting the base of one of said grooves with the outlet of said pump, a pressure relief valve located 4between said pipe line and said reservoir and in fluid connection therewith, and a second pipe line connecting said reservoir with the intake of said pump and with the base of the other of said grooves, the average clearance between said journal and the land nearest said flywheel being two to ve times as large as the average clearance between said journal and each of said other two lands.

8. The combination set forth in claim 7 in which the average clearance between the journal portion of the crankshaft and the land nearest the flywheel is approximately 0.0045 inch to 0.0080 inch.

9. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder block, a rear main bearing sleeve secured within a wall of said cylinder block, said bearing sleeve having Ia pair of axially spaced circumferential grooves in its working surface dividing said surface into three generally coaxial annular bearing lands, a crankshaft having a journal portion rotatably mounted in said bearing sleeve, a ywheel secured to the rearward end of said crankshaft and rotatable therewith, a reservoir for containing lubricating oil, and a pump connected to said grooves and said reservoir for forcing said lubricating oil under pressure above atmospheric pressure to the more forward of said grooves and for removing oil at a pressure below atmospheric pressure from the more rearward of said grooves, the land between said flywheel and said rearward groove being tapered radially inwardly from said groove toward said flywheel, the other of said lands being of generally cylindrical shape.

10. The construction set forth in claim 9 in which the average clearance in inches between the journal portion of the crankshaft and the generally cylindrical lands equals (0.00065 i0.0005 times the average diameter of said journal portion in inches, and where the average clearance between said journal portion and said tapered land is two to ve times as large as the average clearance between said journal portion and said generally cylindrical lands.

11. In combination, a plain bearing lhaving a pair of axially spaced circumferential grooves in its working Surface, a journal member rotatably supported by said bearing, pump means' for supplying lubricant to said bearing, pipe lines connecting one of said grooves -to the intake of said pump and the other of said grooves to the outlet of said pump means, a reservoir for containing said lubricant communicating with said pipe lines, thereby permitting said pump means to force said lubricant `to one of said grooves and to cause said lubricant to -ow axially across the working surface of said bearing to the other of said grooves.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,155,218 Cain Apr. 18, 1939 2,402,467 Thompson June 18, 1946 2,571,166 Rossetto Oct. 16, 1951 

